Nasi kandar goes airborne on Malindo Air flights

photo: www.malindoair.com

PETALING JAYA: If you have enjoyed satay and chicken rice on a flight, there are more local dishes to savour now.

Malindo Air is serving nasi kandar, spicy chicken and mutton curry, chicken kurma and achar on board its flights – a first for an airline – prepared specially by the popular Original Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar restaurant chain.

The nasi kandar meals are free in Business Class and priced at RM12 each for economy class passengers. “Travellers do not really like airline food so we decided to source for something different and since we introduced the nasi kandar meals last month, it has become the top selling meal on all our jet flights,’’ said Malindo chief executive officer Chandran Rama Muthy.

Original Penang Kayu Nasi Kandar managing director Burhan Mohamed said this was the chain’s first such arrangement with a commercial airline. “We have been catering nasi kandar meals for VVIPs on private jets,’’ he said during a flight to Langkawi. Burhan operates eight nasi kandar outlets in the country – one in Penang and seven in the Klang Valley.

Malindo passengers are given a 10% discount for a limited period for meals at the eight restaurants but they must show their boarding passes within 24 hours of their travel.

Malindo is Malaysia’s third airline which calls itself a hybrid airline – the in-between of full service and low cost airline – because it provides light snacks on board, offers 20kg free baggage, and free in-flight entertainment.

Malindo began operations seven months ago and now flies from Subang and KL Interna­tional Airport. “Next, we are looking at introducing mamak mee goreng but that requires more planning,’’ Chandran said.

Malaysia Airlines has been serving its award-winning satay for several years now, while AirAsia serves the famous Hainanese Chicken Rice on its flights.

-thestar online.